Stock Prices Rise in Thailand,
Breaking Nine-Session Decline

The sense of economic crisis that has been building in Thailand all year seemed to peak this week. Amid bad economic news, political worries and unsubstantiated rumors that small finance companies were going bust, Bangkok's benchmark SET Index closed last Monday below 1000 for the first time since October 1993. The gauge on Wednesday jumped 14.13 points, or 1.4%, to 996.16, but still is down 22% for this year.